As archives and repositories again open their doors, the Manuscript Society is about to open its window for 2022 Maass Research Grant applications. Our $5,000 grant supports research using original sources.

Who can Apply

Applicants must be graduate students—doctoral candidates are given preference—at an institution that currently belongs to the Manuscript Society. An institution qualifies as a member if its library currently subscribes to Manuscripts, the society’s quarterly journal.

The society issues the nonrenewable grant to the sponsoring institution, which disburses it to the recipient. Upon completing the research, the recipient is required to (1) submit a detailed report to the society’s scholarship committee and (2) recognize the society’s support in any publication resulting from the research.

How the Maass Grant Is Different

Some grants fund only travel. But that’s a narrow view of the expenses scholars face. Food and lodging. User fees. Document reproduction. Even if the documents our scholars visit are right in their own backyard, the Maass Grant can help pay the costs of intellectual inquiry. Our disbursement model is different too. Monies are paid to the institution rather than the scholar—and the institution must give the scholar the full amount.

How to Apply

Interested students must submit (1) a letter of application, (2) a résumé, (3) an anticipated budget, (4) a proposal of no more than three double-spaced pages and (5) two or three letters of recommendation sent to the scholarship committee. One letter must be from the thesis or dissertation advisor.  The proposal should demonstrate that the research involves considerable work with original manuscripts.

Each file name should start with the applicant’s surname, for example SmithProposal; SmithBudget; SmithSupportLetter; etc. All applicants will be notified of the scholarship committee’s decision soon after March 17, 2022.

Send inquiries to Dr. Ellen Howell Myers at myers@manuscript.org. Send applications and supporting letters to ManuscriptSocietyGrant@manuscript.org.

Key Dates

Application Deadline: Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2022
Selection Announcement:
St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, 2022

Criteria for Evaluating Maass Grant Applications

The Scholarship Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate Maass Grant applications:

  • Clear objectives in a well-organized format.
  • A description of the manuscripts which the student expects to find and how they will support the research project.
  • A detailed and realistic budget explaining how the $5,000 will be used.
  • Letters of Reference which explain the significance of the academic project and indicate confidence in the student’s ability to complete it.

What Comes After

Once the research is complete, the Maass scholar must submit a detailed report to the Manuscript Society. Any publication resulting from the research
must recognize the society’s support.

Questions? Visit https://manuscript.org/projects/scholarship-activities or contact Scholarship Committee Chair Ellen Howell Myers at myers@manuscript.org.

The Maass Grant is made possible by the generosity of our members. We encourage you to donate at https://manuscript.org/product/scholarship-fund. Your gift will help us bring original manuscripts to a new generation of scholars.